Ashes To Ashes/Original/Issue 6
Hogan punched Samuel straight in the jaw with his steel knuckles knocking two teeth out Samuel fell to the floor coughing hysterically. "What's it gonna be, John, we don't want to see daddy get beat up do we?" Hogan asked. "Don't-don't give in, John," Samuel said weakly. John shook his head in defiance, his eyes began to tear up, he rarely cried, but he couldn't take the sight of his father being beaten he wanted to get up and help him, but he knew he would be gunned down instantly. "Let him go, Hogan! He's not in this!" "He is now," Hogan said with a smile. "Just let him go, he doesn't need to be in this little game!" Jason yelled. Hogan walked to Jason and punched him in the face. "You think this is a fucking game? What's it going to be John? Give me an answer." John looked at Samuel, Samuel shook his head. "Never sell out your employer, John. It's our code, you know that." John looked at Hogan. "I'm not telling you anything. I guess you'll have to kill me." Hogan growled with rage. "Goddamn it! I'm sick of this back and forth bullshit. I always get what I want one way or the other," Hogan said as he pulled a butcher's knife from his coat. "What are you doing?" "Something drastic," Hogan approched Samuel pushed him down and held out his right hand. Hogan looked at John and shot him a wicked smile and then with one swift motion slammed the blade on Samuel's wrist cutting his hand clean off. Samuel cried in pain and passed out. "No! Let him go right now you fucker!" Hogan grabbed Samuel by his ponytail and put the knife to his neck. "Tell me now, John you know I'm not fucking around here I'll slit his goddamn throat." John knew he had no other choice. "Fine... His name is Emile, he lives in Ruby Hill, he sent me to kill you." "Huh? Should've known it was those Ruby Hill fucks." "I gave you what you wanted now let him go!" Hogan let go of Samuel. "Patch him up I don't want him dying," he said to Miles. ---- Outside the complex Lilly and Melissa watched the two guards, Hines and another man. "What's taking them so long I haven't even heard the grenade go off." "Think he got caught?" "Not sure, maybe. God damn it we may have to just attack." "No, Lilly we can't. We're way too outnumbered." "I'm not leaving them in there. I'll go myself if I have to." "No you can't, they'll kill you, Lilly." "Lilly?" A voice asked from behind. Lilly and Melissa turned to see Ivan, behind him were at least ten other men all dirty and dressed in torn clothing a few of them ad guns, but most were armed with make shift clubs and knifes. "Ivan what are you doing out here." "Got caught by some cannibal assholes. John and Jason went ahead. I busted out, these guys were also prisoners there. Who's this?" "This is Melissa, she's with me. Samuel went in to get John and Jason, but he hasn't come out he may have been caught." "Well let's go get 'em." Ivan turned the the men he broke out, one stood out among the rest a tall, fit man with jet black hair. "Baker, are you an your men good for this?" "Ivan, you broke us out of that hell, gave us another chance, most of us have lost our family's we're ready to die, might as well go out fighting for our friend. Right, men?" The other men nodded their heads in agreement with Baker. Ivan smiled. "I appreciate it, really. Pick a guy, Lilly we'll take them out and charge the complex." Lilly took aim with her rifle setting her sights on the guard named Hines. "i got the older one," she said. Ivan set the second man in his scope. "Okay. Ready...fire." Both Ivan and Lilly fired their rifles, hitting their targets in the head, both men falling in unison. Ivan stood up and pointed at the complex. "Attack!" ---- Hogan and the others inside hear the shots, Hogan looked at his right hand man, Duncan. "Get the men ready to move, we're gonna pay a little visit to Ruby Hill." "What about the commotion outside, sir?" "Send around ten or so to take care of that, we'll bring the rest out the back exit. That means you too, Miles gonna need you on the field." "But, sir I'm not finished with his hand." Hogan grabbed the old doctor. "He's a tough old bastard, he'll last till we get back, now move it." Hogan shot a smile at John. "Sit tight till we get back, we won't be long," he slammed the cell door behind him. John crawled the the unconscious Samuel and held his hand in his hands for the first time since he could remember he was crying. "Don't go, Dad..." Jason was almost in tears himself the feeling of defeat had dawned on him. "John I...I'm sorry." A figure approched the cell door, the blonde girl who was with Hogan when John and Jason first arrived. "What do you want?" John asked bitterly. The girl unlocked the cell door and threw it open. "I'm getting you out of here, let's go." "Hold up, hold up," Jason began to say. "Who the fuck are you, and why should we trust one of Hogan's whores?" "My name is Angel, and I've been looking for an excuse to leave that asshole forever, now I have the chance and I'm taking it. It's you're friends out there, maybe we can get back to Ruby Hill in time." "I still don't trust you," Jason said. John stood up picking up Samuel with him. "Fuck it, let's just go, even if she's lying we can break her neck in an instant," John says locking his gaze on Angel. Angel nods. "Look I'm helping you guys out, just under one condition." "And what might that be?" Jason asked. "Just let me come with you. Even if I die on the way, it'd be better than going back to that nut job, Hogan." "What about the other sex slaves wouldn't you want to bring them too?" "There's only three others, and they're completely loyal to Hogan I could never get them to leave even with freedom right in their face." "Alright then, lead the way." ---- Angel led Jason and John outside, it was a mini war out there bullets flying from two sides. The three watched on, Samuel began to wake up. "Dad! You're okay." Samuel looked at John blinking himself awake. "John...I haven't heard you call me that in years." Samuel looked at his stump only half stitched up. "Fuck..." "It's okay, we'll get back to Ruby Hill and get it patched up." "Let me walk." "I can't, you're hurt." "It's my hand, son not my foot. I can walk." John hesitated for a moment, but then set his father down allowing him to stand. "John!" Lilly's familiar voice yelled she ran to the trio and wrapped her arms around John hugging him tightly. John returned the hug. "You came to help?" "Me and Melissa and Sam-" she stopped, shocked to see Samuel's stump of a right hand. "Oh my god, what did that asshole do?" "He could have done more, Angel here helped us escape." Angel smiled shyly looking away "It was nothing." "Lilly we gotta get out of here, Hogan and some of his men are on the way to Ruby Hill...I had to tell him he would've killed Samuel." "Oh shit, okay follow me." "Oh I almost forgot." Angel said as she pulled John's heavy frame 44. revolver from her coat pocket and held it to him. "Picked this up on the way out, couldn't find your other weapons." "Aw, damn how did I forget this?" John took the pistol and holstered it. "Thanks." John and the others followed Lilly behind one of the large buildings where a horse carriage stood several men around it, including Ivan. "Holy shit, Ivan!" Jason said with surprise. "What happened?" "Hello, friends you made it, I got caught by those assholes that were shooting at us. These men were also prisoners there, we escaped." "Just glad you made it out." "Sorry to rush the reunion, boys, but we have to get to Ruby Hill," Lilly said. "Why?" Ivan asked. "Hogan's on his way there I had to tell him." "Shit, okay I'm going." John, Samuel, Lilly, Melissa and Ivan all got in the carriage. Jason decided to stay friends. John was driving. "You good to stay, Jason?" Ivan asked. "One of us should I'll be fine, just go and good luck. We'll come as soon as we finish up here." The carriage rode away. Jason and the escapees continued fighting the remainder of Hogan's forces that stayed behind. ---- Back at Ruby Hill, Anton and Vlad sat on the wall watching the wastes for John and his companions. "Tara still worried?" Vlad asked. Anton sighed. "Yeah, she really does love him," Anton replied. "You sound upset?" "I don't know I always kinda liked Tara, guess I'm just pissed I never went for her." Vlad chucked. "We've all been there, my friend." Vlad's smile faded and he looked to the distance. "C'mon, Ivan." "He'll be fine, Vlad." "You don't know that." "Ivan is a tough bastard, man he'll be fine." "I don't know, him being in danger has me thinking I really did fuck up a lot, no wonder he saw me as a failure." "What? C'mon, man that ain't true." "No it is. I was a fucking coward in the war, picked the other side because I was too scared to stand up for what I believed in. And now I may never-" Vlad was interrupted by the sound of galloping horses and carriage wheels. "Holy shit, they're back!" Vlad jumped down off the wall and ran towards the carriage. It stopped and he saw his brother get out. "Ivan, you made it!" Despite everything Ivan was happy to see Vlad. "Damn, it's good to see you, Vlad." The two brothers hugged for the first time in many years. "Vlad has this place been attacked?" John asked. "Attacked? No, why would-" Before Vlad could finish a gun shot rang loudly the bullet flew into Vlad's head taking off a chunk of his head. Vlad's lifeless body fell into his brother's arms. Ivan was instantly reduced to tears. "Vlad, no, no!" Hogan stood farther off out of sight, a smoking rifle in his hands. "Got one, now attack," he said to Duncan. "Everyone get inside we need guns," John said, the group ran fot the main gate. Ivan stayed holding his dead brother. "We'll come back for him later, Ivan." "Just go." "Not happening, you can't stay out here Vlad wouldn't want you do die too." Ivan shook his head. "Fine," he laid Vlad down and followed John inside. Emile was waiting along with, Tara who was hugging Samuel and Diane who was next to her husband. And many of the Ruby Hill residents. Emile had an angry look. "John, what the fuck is going on?!" "Hogan is here, and he's gunning for this place. He already got Vlad." "Why the fuck did you tell him we sent you!" "Because he would have killed my dad if I didn't, goddammit!" "I trusted you, John I thought you could do this and this is the way-" Another shot rang, Hogan stood on the other side of the gate. "Citizens of Ruby Hill, your time has come to an end." "Is there any way we can talk about this?" Tara asked. "I'm afraid not, say your fucking prayers." With that, the bullets began flying form both sides. Hogan only had around ten men with him, but they were better armed. A grenade flew over the wall and landed exploding instantly. Three Ruby Town residents were dead instantly and Melissa was injured some of the shrapnel hitting her in the stomach. Lilly and Anton helped her up. "I'm-I'm okay," she said weakly. Anton helped her inside the medical clinic, Lilly continued fighting. Hogan's men were falling fast he had underestimated his enemy. "Sir, we're getting shredded we have to head back!" Duncan said. "Fuck that, we're finishing this, these fucks won't win." A bullet from Emile's rifle flew into Duncan's head killing him instantly. Hogan leaped behind cover. "Fucking shit," he said to himself. Hogan looked at the shooter, he recognized him from a previous visit the town sheriff, the one that directly sent the bounty hunters. Hogan pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin and chucked it as hard as he could, the grenade flew past Emile and landed next to his wife, Diane. "No! Diane move out of the way!" Emile ran towards his her, but it was too late the grenade exploded consuming her in fire and shrapnel, some of the fire hit Emile in the face and the force of the explosion took him off his feet. "Diane..." Emile managed to say before passing out. Outside the last of Hogan's men had been gunned down only Hogan and the medic Miles remained. Miles dropped his pistol and put his hands up. Hogan looked at him with anger. "What the fuck are you doing, Miles." "Sorry, sir it's over, we lost." "You fucking pussy!" Hogan aimed his pistol at Miles, but before he could fire he was shot in the leg by Ivan sending him to the ground. John approched his revolver aimed, finger on the trigger. "Fucking kill me then, might as well get it done with." Before John could pull the trigger. Tara interrupted. "No! You don't get off that easy. You've killed two people, that there is a life sentence." Ivan approached. "Must we really waste our time with this crap, fucking shoot him already." "I know you're pissed Ivan, but that is not how we do things, he'll rot in jail for the rest of his life. That is far worse." Hogan chuckled. "Well then it won't be a long wait. "What are you talking about?" "Tell them, Miles." The old doctor cleared his throat. "Hogan has a...condition." "What condition?" Miles sighed. "He suffers from the same disorder that turns people into Searchers, y'know the mutants. I've worked out a temporary cure that keeps the disorder dormant for a month, but it doesn't permanently go away, basically without my medication he will die." Tara smiled. "Well, our doctor was killed in this little attack of yours, so how about you keep making his medication and become our new doctor and we won't throw you in prison as well. Deal?" Sold, sorry boss." Miles said. "You back stabbing little weasel." Tara pointed to two men. "Get him to a cell," she said pointing at Hogan. The men took Hogan by his arms and dragged him away. She looked at Miles. "And you, we have five injured people, get to the clinic and get to work." Ivan shook his head. "This is fucking bullshit." "I'm sorry, Ivan," Tara said. "Whatever, I'm going to get Vlad ready for burial," Ivan left. ---- Many hours later, the dead had been buried and those who were injured were now better with the help of Miles. Anton sat in one of the medic rooms with Melissa who was just waking up. "Oh, hey you're awake," Anton said with a smile. "Am I alive?" She asked. Anton chuckled. "Yes, you are. The doc said you should stay in bed for the rest of the night though. And you'll be pretty sore tomorrow, but you'll be okay." "Good to hear. I'm sorry, but what was your name again?" "Oh, it's Anton." She smiled. "Hi, Anton. I'm Melissa." Tara and John were with Samuel in his room. "I have to say, the doctor did a good job stitching this up." "He did, but I don't completely trust him yet, we're keeping an eye on him." "Good I don't trust the guy either, but he should be fine," John said. "That girl Angel seems promising, she's taking guard duty." "Yeah, she helped us escape, good in my book," Samuel said. John looked out the window and saw Emile packing items onto a horse. "Where's he going?" Tara looked. "Said he was leaving." John sighed. "I'll go talk to him." John left the room and met Emile at his horse. "Emile, what's going on?" Emile looked at John with his one angry eye, his other eye was covered by a eye patch, a deep burn scar in his face. "I'm leaving this place." "You don't have to." "My wife is dead, my baby is dead, and the two assholes that killed them are still alive. One's in prison to live out his life, and the other is standing right in front of me." "I didn't kill Diane." "No you did and you know you did, say what you will about me. I never sold out an employer. Never. " "I had no choice, he was going to kill my father." "So you let him kill my wife?" "I tried to stop him." "Yeah, well you didn't and now she's gone." "I'm sorry, Emile." "No you're not and even if you were it wouldn't matter," Emile got onto his horse, he looked at John one last time. "Know this, John Adams. I will be back, not sure when, but I will be back. " Emile reared his horse and rode into the distance. John sighed and watched his old friend disappear. "Yeah, I know you will." To Be Continued... Credits *John Adams *Samuel Adams *Lilly *Melissa *Anton *Tara *Emile *Diane *Ivan *Vlad *Derek *Jason Wild *Hogan *Duncan *Angel *Hines *Miles *Baker Deaths *Hines *Vlad *Duncan *Diane Trivia *First appearance of Baker. *Last appearance of Hines. *Last appearance of Vlad. *Last appearance of Duncan. *Last appearance of Diane. 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